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Fidelity National Home Warranty Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 2 / 5 (Poor)
146 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
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Fidelity National Home Warranties is a California-based company with over 25 years of experience in the industry.

The company offers a convenient automated repair tracking system and consistent customer support through a team of highly trained local service providers and sales agents.

Fidelity National Home Warranties holds a Better Business Bureau rating of A+.

How Do We Rate Fidelity National?

Breakdown

0.0/5
Transparency
3.5/5
Claims Processing
3.0/5
Coverage Options
0.0/5
Additional Benefits
3.5/5
Customer Experience

Our Overall Rating: 2 / 5 (Poor)

Fidelity National's prices are inline with industry standards, though their service fees are slightly higher, and its guaranteed response time is a bit longer than that of other companies.

We feel the need to mention that Fidelity National has been the target of a state insurance regulatory action and a class action suit, requiring that customers give up their right to a jury trial in any legal dispute.

Coverage

Key Facts

Plan Types
Combo Plan
Benefit Limit Type
Per Item
Per Term
Typical Systems Benefit Limit
$1,000

Coverage Options - 3 / 5

Fidelity National covers many of the usual systems and appliances, as well as a few specialty items.

However, coverage for refrigerators, washers/dryers, air conditioning units, pool and spa equipment and septic tank leaks and roof leaks are not part of the standard coverage, but must be purchased separately when the contract is signed.

Unlike some other home warranty companies, the company does not cover system or appliance failures due to lack of maintenance.

What does Fidelity National cover?

Covered Built-In Systems

  • Air Conditioning
  • Heating
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Water Heater
  • Instant Hot/Cold Water Dispenser
  • Central Vacuums
  • Smoke Detectors
  • Doorbells
  • Ceiling Fans
  • Ductwork
  • Sump Pump
  • Telephone Wiring

Covered Appliances

  • Refrigerators
  • Dishwashers
  • Clothes Dryers
  • Clothes Washers
  • Ranges/Ovens/Cooktops
  • Built-in Microwaves
  • Freestanding Ice Makers
  • Built-In Trash Compactors
  • Garage Door Openers
  • Garbage Disposal
  • Stand Alone Freezer
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1 More

Exclusions

For a full list of Fidelity National exclusions, check out this page.

Specialty Items

  • Pool/Spa
  • Well Pump
  • Septic
  • Roof Leaks

Contract & Price

Contract Details

Annual Premium
Starting at $350
Minimum Contract Length
12 month(s)
Home Inspection Required for Contract?
Yes
Online Quote/Application

Contract & Price - 3 / 5

Fidelity National's minimum annual premium is $350, but add-ons for common coverages can raise this number considerably.

The contract is non-cancellable

Sample Contract

Fidelity National provides a sample contract for potential customers on its website: Fidelity National Sample Contract

Cancellation Policy

The contract is non-cancelable, except for non-payment of contract fees, fraud or misrepresentation of facts by the customer, or when the contract is for Seller's Coverage and close of sale does not occur.

If the contract is canceled, the customer is entitled to a prorated refund of the paid contract fee for the unexpired term, minus an administrative fee and any service cost incurred by the FNHW. A 10% penalty per month will be added to the refunded purchase price when not paid within 30 days of the date the contract was returned to FNHW.

The contract holder may cancel the contract after the initial 20 days and will be entitled to a prorated refund of the contract fee less a $50.00 administration fee and any service cost incurred by FNHW.

Cancellation requests must be submitted in writing.

Claims & Service

Claims

Waiting Period
30 days

Contractors & Service

Contractor Selection
Any Contractor
Service Recall Period
30 days

Claims Processing - 3.5 / 5

Upon receipt of a warranty claim, the company pledges to contact a qualified subcontractor within three business hours and within 48 hours on weekends or holidays.

Customers must pay a diagnostic fee of $65 on each claim, which must be paid even if the claim is subsequently denied.

Fidelity National Reputation

Company Details

Year Founded
1984
NHSCA Membership
Number of Employees
5001-10000
TrustPilot Rating
6.1 out of 5
BBB Rating
A+
BBB Positive Reviews
4
BBB Neutral Reviews
0
BBB Negative Reviews
97
Date Collected
2017-07-20

Reputation - 4.5 / 5

Fidelity National is accredited by the BBB and has an A+ rating. It has four positive reviews and 112 negative ones and 549 customer complaints.

However, it is not unusual in this industry for companies to have numerous negative customer reviews and complaints.

The company has no presence on Trust Pilot. In 2012, the company settled a claim against it by the Insurance Commissioner of California which alleged that the company had unlawfully paid rebates and offered inducements to real estate brokers.

The company agreed to cease and desist from the allegedly unlawful practices and paid a settlement of $1.25 million and attorneys fees of $175,000, but admitted no wrongdoing.

In 2008, a class action suit was brought in California against Fidelity National which alleged false advertising and insurance bad faith. The case resulted in four separate appeals and was eventually refiled.

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
Company Phone
(800) 862-6837
Headquarters Address
1850 Gateway Blvd, Suite 400, Concord, CA, 94520
Year Founded
1984

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146 Customer Comments & Reviews

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James S
6/13/2019
Like your typical scam. Told that we could select "out of network" technician (we wanted a factory certified parts replacement), jumped through the hoops to do this, followed the instructions, parts are no longer made, so a replacement recommendation from this technician was in his report. FN decided to deny the claim because they said the inspection (which said everything is working and serviceable except the following defect list) wasn't explicitly listed as inspected. We started complaining and documenting their failures (and requesting a copy of my file and all telephone calls, as well as no denial letter received, and couldn't even tell me when it was denied or when a letter was... Read More


S
Suzanne A
6/11/2019
So disappointed with Fidelity National Home Warranty company. It has been almost 1 month since I first contacted this company to file a claim for my Meile dishwasher. I was contacted by a contractual vendor and advised that no one could come out for 3 days. FNHW said they would be here within 24 hours. The repair was evaluated and we were advised a part was needed and it should be here in a couple of days, but to no avail. After contacting the vendor several times in the past 3 weeks I was always told she would check into it and get back to me. Do you know how frustrating it is to constantly be promised someone will get back to you with an answer and not EVER get that call. Today I... Read More


pablo.inusa
6/5/2019
I want to register my strong dissatisfaction with FNHW. Their fine print basically gives them carte blanche to deny most claims. My example: if a part is covered by the manufacturer warranty, then the whole repair is not covered. Let me repeat, it doesn't matter if *only* the part is covered for replacement by the manufacturer, the WHOLE repair is not covered by FNHW. So it's better for an FNHW customer to own no new appliances/equipment! Does that make any sense?? If you are currently a customer, it's not worth renewing. It's better not to deal with the headache.


B
Brittany L
6/4/2019
I have rarely been this frustrated and disappointed with a company's service. We have the home warranty for our house, and put in a simple claim to have a small leak from the fridge looked at. The service was scheduled for the week later, and in the meantime, we had a flood and our washer and dryer were submerged. I called Fidelity to ask if they could add on those machines to the already-scheduled appointment, and was told it would be no problem. The technician came out and looked at all 3 machines, determining the washer and dryer were totaled from the water damage and that the fridge was an unrelated and simple wear and tear issue that could be quickly resolved once they ordered a few... Read More


Nick N
5/31/2019
Criminal organization dedicated to ripping off working families- highly recommend not using moving forward


justmail544
5/23/2019
This is quite possibly the worst warranty company out there. I have been denied coverage numerous times for various reasons. My latest frustration is our water heater only works part of the time. Paid $75 to get serviced. Technician showed up and turned on the hot water. He just happened to test the hot water when it was working. "Works fine", and leaves. Fidelity says "the technician has to find a problem" and just cant go by my word. So, I say to you Fidelity, come take a shower in my home at 6am and lets see if its hot or cold for you.


bijoy b
5/17/2019
Using FNHW for more than six years. None of these years I had to get their service once or twice. I still kept renewing to cover any unforeseen home repair work. But that perception changed recently. My garage door torsion spring was broken. I own a EV (tesla m3), so use garage to charge inside my garage. Initially everything seems good, I paid feed for repair man to show up. but the repair man quoted >$350 (+$75 I already paid) on top of what covered by FNHW. Fidelity National Home Warranty customer care left me with no other option than pay right way, which I refused. Even amazon service install new torsion spring under $200. They even FW me to cancel the contract since I have too... Read More


R
Robin S
5/2/2019
This is my second negative review of __Fidelity National Home Warranty______________. There's only one thing you need to understand about this company: It is in the business of taking your money and denying your claims. The company's employees are corporate drones who come up with the most absurd reasons to deny claims. They also tell you that a particular service is covered before they send a technician out, but then, after you've paid the $75 for the tech to come out, they tell you that the service is not covered. STAY AWAY from this company. They and their home warranty are a total rip off.


R
Robin S
5/2/2019
This is my second negative review of __Fidelity National Home Warranty______________. There's only one thing you need to understand about this company: It is in the business of taking your money and denying your claims. The company's employees are corporate drones who come up with the most absurd reasons to deny claims. They also tell you that a particular service is covered before they send a technician out, but then, after you've paid the $75 for the tech to come out, they tell you that the service is not covered. STAY AWAY from this company. They and their home warranty are a total rip off.


simon p
4/24/2019
Please go with another company. I am preparing for legal proceeding with this company as I was lied to by the customer service, telling me to call back after the service was rendered with the receipt and I would be reimbursed. When I called back for claims, I was told I would be not be covered and it was noted that way on the previous call as if the customer service rep told me as such.



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